Re: [Fwd: WeMedia's talking browser]

I agree with the evaluation provided by Mike below.  My $0.02:

I have downloaded and looked at this browser.  It works but it follows some
assumptions about how a totally blind or low vision person may use the browser to
navigate.  It does use only keyboard for navigation but I think it verbalizes too much

and you quickly get lost as to where you are.  I have not fully utilized all of its
features but it is a pretty simple browser but it can be a useful tool.

I don't think a totally blind person can use it without a screen reader.  For those
with low vision like myself, I found it hard to navigate because I could not
differentiate between a link and text information.  The only way to do this was to use
the page map feature which gives a link list by number and text of the link.

Regards,

Darryl

Darryl




Connie Myers wrote:

> fyi
>
>   ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Subject: RE: WeMedia's talking browser
> Resent-Date: Mon, 11 Jun 2001 11:09:42 -0400 (EDT)
> Resent-From: w3c-wai-ig@w3.org
> Date: Mon, 11 Jun 2001 10:11:42 -0500
> From: "Mike Scott" <mscott@msfw.com>
> To: "Scott Luebking" <phoenixl@sonic.net>, <w3c-wai-ig@w3.org>
>
> WeMedia's Talking Browser (v 1.2) seems to be a good start (and the price is
> certainly right). The basic "read the whole page" function can be useful,
> although it doesn't allow the user to navigate/control reading like a full
> screen reader or Home Page Reader (which are addmittely much more
> expensive...) Sighted users can also use it to read specific text that they
> have selected/highlighted with the mouse. It's "text only" view, which
> offers a few text color/size options, is handy.
>
> I am a little surprized that it seems to ignore images all together, even
> those with ALT text. Also, while reading a page, it doesn't indicate when it
> is reading a link vs regular text. There is a "page map" feature that is a
> links list, but it also misses ALT text on image links (providing the full
> HREF URL instead) and TITLE attributes set on text links.
>
> The speech overall is probably too verbose. For example, in the page
> map/links list it announces each link as "Link number x, link displayed is
> <link text>". For a non-visual user it means listening through a lot of
> extra, repetitive speech to find a desired link. Simply saying the link text
> would probably be adequate.
>
> For now, it looks like it's biggest potential would be for users who are
> partially sighted or have reading disabilities.
>
> I have only looked at it quickly, and I'd be happy to hear if anyone else
> has better luck.
>
> Mike
>
> p.s. Be careful of the "My Zoom" feature (in the Tools menu) -- it takes my
> Windows 2000 machine down every time...
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: w3c-wai-ig-request@w3.org [mailto:w3c-wai-ig-request@w3.org]On
> Behalf Of Scott Luebking
> Sent: Friday, June 08, 2001 3:15 PM
> To: w3c-wai-ig@w3.org
> Subject: WeMedia's talking browser
>
> Hi,
> Has anyone checked out WeMedia's talking browser?  Any comments?
>     http://www.wemedia.com/talking_browser
> Thanks,
> Scott
>
>   ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>   Connie Myers <connie.myers@oracle.com>
>   Accessibility Program Manager
>   Corporate Architecture Group (CAG)
>   Oracle Corporation
>
>   Connie Myers
>   Accessibility Program Manager                  <connie.myers@oracle.com>
>   Corporate Architecture Group (CAG)
>   Oracle Corporation
>   500 Oracle Parkway 5OP3                        Fax: (650) 506-7218
>   Redwood Shores, CA 94065                       Work: ( 650) 506-4171
>   Internal website: http://uilab-nt.us.oracle.com/projects/Accessibility/index.htm
>   Additional Information:
>   Last Name     Myers
>   First Name    Connie
>   Version       2.1

Received on Wednesday, 13 June 2001 02:18:05 UTC